Spinal disorders such as degenerative disc disease, disc herniation, osteoporosis, spondylolisthesis, stenosis, scoliosis and other curvature abnormalities, kyphosis, tumor, and fracture may result from factors including trauma, disease and degenerative conditions caused by injury and aging. Spinal disorders typically result in symptoms including pain, nerve damage, and partial or complete loss of mobility.
In an effort to more effectively and directly treat vertebral compression fractures, minimally invasive techniques such as vertebroplasty and, subsequently, kyphoplasty, have been developed. Vertebroplasty involves creating a cavity in a fractured, weakened, or diseased vertebral body. A flowable reinforcing material, usually polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA—commonly known as bone cement), is injected into the cavity. Shortly after injection, the liquid filling material hardens or polymerizes, desirably supporting the vertebral body internally, alleviating pain and preventing further collapse of the injected vertebral body. However, creating the cavity in the fractured, weakened, or diseased vertebral body may involve pain, if untreated.
Traditional cryogenic systems, such as, for example, cryoablation systems can provide denervation capabilities, but the procedures can take a considerable amount of time to perform. Another problem with currently available cryoablation devices is that they are not cost effective. Further, the health care practitioner may have difficulty positioning the tip of the device in the optimal location to get an optimal and consistent clinical result. This may also result in unwanted necrosis of adjacent tissue, which can lead to clinical adverse events including subsequent repair of the necrotic tissue. This disclosure describes an improvement over these prior art technologies.